Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Winter
is the slowest tourism season for Niagara, and with good reason. The months
of December-February are snowy, with bitter wind chills and
below-freezing temperat-
ures.
Seasonal attractions are closed and the tourist areas somewhat empty. However, the
freezing weather also creates an austere landscape and frozen mist from the falls envelops
everything in a crystalline icy coating. The best time for a brief visit is during the
Festival
of Lights
around the holidays in December.
In
spring,
March until the beginning of June, you'll find
off-season rates
on accom-
modations. As in winter, some attractions have
limited hours
or are not operating. The
MaidoftheMistandHornblowerNiagaraCruisescannotsafelyplythewatersofthelower
Niagara until the river is free of ice, so they don't typically start running until May. Spring
arrives a little later here than in other parts of the Northeast due to ice on Lake Erie. By
May the weather is more pleasant.
For this itinerary, base yourself on the Canadian side of the border. The
Fallsview Casino
Resort
and
Marriott Niagara Falls Fallsview Hotel & Spa
bothofferexcellentviewsand
are close to all the major attractions.
Day 1
Purchase an Adventure Pass at the Ontario Parks Welcome Centre near the base of Clifton
Hill. The clerk will ask if you'd like to reserve ticket times for
Journey Behind the Falls,
Niagara's Fury,
and the
White Water Walk
. Add two hours to the current time to come
up with your reservation time for
Journey Behind the Falls.
Reserve
Niagara's Fury
for
one hour after that. Do not reserve a time for the
White Water Walk
.
Walk one block to
Hornblower Niagara Cruises,
and hop on a boat for an up-close
(and saturated) look at the falls. Afterward, walk south along the rim of the gorge, enjoying
the excellent vista of the U.S. side of the border. In the front atrium of
Table Rock Wel-
come Centre,
you'llfindtheentrancefor
Journey Behind the Falls.
Explorethefallsfrom
a tunnel dug through the gorge, emerging in time to catch
Niagara's Fury
, located on the
second floor of the Welcome Centre.